3 strikes I'm out (I'm thinking of quitting trad)

[Mr. fingers]

Please Talk me out of it or send me packing.
Here's  my dilemma I've been off and on with trad since 2008 I've taken  two deer with my recurve. This year I decided to go totally trad and give my compound the year off and hopefully send it into retirement. I've been practicing all year and happy with my set up tuned better than ever ( more on that later)
So opening morning I have 3 does walk out with 15 min. Of being on stand. I'm thinking unbelievable . So I draw on the biggest one and the shot was gone the arrow sailed high and left right over her back . I did just about everything wrong than an archer could did not anchor. Did not pick a spot I don't think I even hit full draw. O.K. I know what I  did wrong cursed myself etc..... So at the end of the morning pulled a blunt out focused were the deer was picked a leaf. And drilled it. All me right? So a week later same stand same 3 deer almost the same spot. So I'm telling myself what I needed to do but my body just went ahead and did the same thing it did the week before . So after the deer was gone out of anger I grabbed a blunt picked a spot on a little pine and let it fly. Drilled it again. All me again.
The next  week I really worked on my mental game shot sequence  and anchor.  My confidence was still shaken from the 2 misses
So weekend before this past one I was in a different stand and had 2 nice does come in from my right and headed behind me I turned back to my right focused on the deer I wanted shoot  drew touched  anchor picked a spot and let it fly and in my disbelief I shot low and back the deer was walking but not very fast . I muttered the f bomb to my self a couple of times knocked another arrow but one deer had me pinned staring right at me so I could not get a 2nd shot. That's it I quit.  I waited a while took the blunt out out again picked a stump where the deer was let it fly. And l felt my lower limb hit my pack that was on the seat. My arrow went low and left or back as on the deer. Now  I may have hit my limb on the pack when I shot at the deer. But I can't say for sure.Either way I decided I'm done with trad.
 So  this past weekend I grabbed my compound to hunt with but was still upset at my failure with my curve  Sunday evening I was thinking I need to try my recurve  with the pressure off of not going to hunt with it I would shoot my BHs and not worry about dulling them. My group was huge left and rights I couldn't figure why so bad so. So I figured I'd experiment nothing to loose right? tried going from split finger which I switched to this year back to 3 under. My groups got a little better. So I then took my 165  sharks head off and went back to my 125 stingers another change this rear. My groups tightened up and even trashed a stinger. I could not believe how well I was shooting better than I have in a long time.  I was hitting  a 2in chunk out of my 3D at 20 yd  almost every shot and the one that did not hit it were close to it.
So my confidence came back a little.
I'm sorry this is so long but I'm at a crossroads.  With 3 misses under my belt I feel I have no business hunting trad. And maybe I should stick with my compound that I have all the confidence in the world with. Or buck up and continue what I set out to do convert totally to trad. Missing is no fun and a guy only gets so many shot opportunities. And I hunt to harvest deer that's kind of the point. I just don't know what direction I want to take.

Can any of you relate to any of this ?
Thanks for reading if you made it through.
Tim

[Aggie1993]

Went through that the second year I went full trad. The first year I only shot hogs and javelina with my recurve. The second year was all out trad with my wheels collecting dust. I missed high several times from an elevated stand.  Wounded a doe and grabbed the wheels. Then late in the season went back to the recurve and took a little scrub buck. I sold my my wheels the next year.  All the guys I hunt with that are trad shooters struggle with the high miss from an elevated stand.  I take my 3D deer target to my stands before the season starts and practice a little. It helps. You will learn from your mistakes and you will make more I promise.  Keep at it and keep learning.  You will get better and it is so much more rewarding for me when I am lucky enough to harvest an animal.

[jonsimoneau]

Stick with whatever broadhead is flying best. And yes I can relate. My first year of switching to traditional gear I missed 6 yes 6 deer including a huge buck before I finally connected. You are over thinking it and putting too much pressure on yourself. The next time a deer comes in, just tell yourself you are shooting at a tame animal and you have all the time in the world. If you have done it before, you will do it again. Don't feel bad. Keep your chin up.

Tim, none of us can tell you what to do here! You need to follow your heart. We do this to have fun. I can tell you this though, the first one is the hardest, and experience (read more sucessful kills) makes it easier for most.

There is nothing wrong with you going with your gut and hunting with whichever weapon you are confident with. If you convince yourself to go back to the wheels, you may find that you are perfectly happy there. Good for you if that is how it goes. But you may also find that your heart is really a traditional one and want to come back. That is fine too.

I can also tell you that misses are part of the game! Anyone who has hunted very long (with most any weapon) will experience some misses. It just happens. None of us like it. And it sucks that your first three chances were misses, but, at least they were not bad hits.

From what I read, it seems like you are shooting well. Something is happening in your mental part when you get the shot at a live critter. The shot where your bow limb hit the pack was just pure bad luck. That too has happened to most all of us at one time or another.

I wish you the best of luck, whichever path you take. I will also add this.......there is no feeling in the world like that when you successfully harvest an animal with a trad bow with no sights.

Good luck to you, sir!

Bisch

[South MS Bowhunter]

Tim,

My pastor tell us (the congregation) "You do what you want to do" His Point?  A person will make up his mind one way or the other and choose the direction he will go.  Of course he is referring to serving the Lord, but this principle hold true in all areas of life.

So your thinking whats that got to do with me and Trad? Right? Commitment my Boy commitment, get it in your mind and the heart I'm sticking this out and it will come together.

I am not a great shot and it took nearly 9 years before my first Trad Deer came, But that commitment keeps me going and it has become easier as the confidence is gained.

Now as for the changes Broad heads, shooting styles etc... I'm sure they could and maybe did play into the misses but the lack of confidence the mental game is your biggest culprit  

[Gray Buffalo]

it's not the bow. your just rushing you shot. ask me how I know.

[Hud]

Been there, done that. First, you might be putting pressure on yourself, based on your story. If your shooting from a stand (tree), practice from an elevated stand. Canting the bow helps IMO, but depends on your style. Secondly, focus on a spot, don't look at the whole target (deer). Finally, shooting without coming to anchor and not aiming, is something you want to correct. Start by shooting into a bale, without a target at 10 yds. The emphasis is on picking a spot and completing everything correctly. Shoot a few arrows correctly, then quite and wait until the next day. Your developing a learned behavior and training your muscles. There is no point in practicing bad habits.  Continue the practice for a week or two and anytime you feel the urge to shoot without coming to full draw.

Remember, shooting is a learned muscle response and it is important to practice correctly. Picking a spot on a target is easier than a deer for some. It is a matter of practice. Draw on a target and let it down. You want to be able to take your practice into the field, with the same results. Switching back to a Comp...d won't help you build the confidence, and correct habits. Hang in there, what your experiencing is quiet common.

[TGbow]

I've hunted with recurves and longbows since 1975, last year I missed 2 deer.
Never missed 2 in one season before, but I'm not going to give up. It's just part of it.

[robertson]

Just part of it .

Even the best predators ( lions , léopards ect...)

miss !!

[Thumper Dunker]

Hey it took three years to get my first coyote with a bow. I can't get a deer if I had too Not even with a rifle . It sure is more fun goofing up ,missing , and scaring away game with this stuff. Your trying too hard.I have had three shots at deer with a bow and all were misses. If you never miss your not taking enough shots. Hang in there. I think the need to kill something to be hunting is getting to you. Not saying that I hunt to look at butterflies but your not going to win all the time. Do it for fun not as a necessity.

[CRS]

Stick with it, your mechanics are there.  The mental game is getting you.

There are two things that I have taught myself and my boys.

1.  Three deep breaths.  Helps calm and focus you.  

2.  Mentally going through the shot process.
-Draw
-anchor/back tension
-pick a spot, concentrate, focus
-release
-follow through

This slows you down and gets your head into the game.  It is natural to rush a shot when the adrenalin is flowing.

[MCS]

When my friends say I think I'm going to give it up. I say can I have your stuff and they always seem to change their minds. I'm in the same boat. Just keep at it.

[Bud B.]

What I have to do is make sure I allow the deer to come within MY comfort zone. Even then, a miss or two or more will occur. And have. I will likely never own a compound ever again. Might as well wait for gun season. The last time I did that I felt weird but had taken a young fellow on his first hunt and we took shotguns. I still remember the weird feeling.

Three strikes, you're out. But, there are nine more innings and many more at bats to go. The game is long from over.

[Pinecone]

I have had my share of failures with trad and  thought of giving up too at one time. Confidence and focus are so vital to success with traditional archery and when mine were shaken, it was a challenge to regroup, recommit, and get back to work.  As has been said, no one can tell you what is right for you, but if you continue to focus on your form, on shot consistency, and on your mental focus, my guess is that your confidence will be rebuilt and you will connect on a critter. Try to relax at the time of the shot by remembering that you will not be healthier or happier if you kill a deer with a stickbow. You are not shooting with this type of bow for anyone but yourself...because it's what you want...so take the pressure off yourself and enjoy the experience. It can be wonderful     .  

Claudia

[Terry Green]

Did not have time to read all your post...but I take it you've missed 3...well get this...I missed my 1st EIGHT.....but I stuck with it...and here's some of the special animals I've killed since drilling #9.....

   Soooo Glad I never gave up - Click Here

Stay after it

[JMG]

Tim, first and foremost you need to stop putting so much pressure on yourself and remember the reasons why we go hunting in the first place. Personally, I go to enjoy myself and decompress from every day things such as work, bills, etc., etc.. I choose to hunt with traditional archery only for several reasons. One, it's a personal satisfaction when I harvest a animal. Look at it like this, at least you had clean misses Tim. I had a few of those moments to where I wanted to just give up trad all together, but to me, that would be to easy and my wife constantly tells me that I am way to stubborn to do anything the easy way. Haha. Keep at it Tim and I can assure you if you do, you find that blissful moment when you finally connect again!!

[Bigriver]

I agree with all the above but:

Are you hunting out of a treestand? Do you practice, I mean REALLY practice out of one?

 I know several guys who are really good 3d shooters who miss deer regularly out of their treestand, but never practice shooting out of one.

I think it is important. Food for thought,hope it helps.

[Gator1]

Some great input here Tim

One point you made at the end was the tuning.

It appears in your post the broad head change may have caused a tuning issue.

Going back to your stingers as you said tightened up your group.  Your solution is in your post regarding your arrow flight.

[rwbowman]

Tim, don't give up!! I went through it- in fact, if there be one who hasn't, I'd like to hear about it. My first trad season was two springs back hunting turkeys. I did the ground work, found the birds and was able to line up with them several times that year. Did I kill one? No sir. My first shot was on a bird that I knew was mine, only my arrow didn't care to fly far enough and ate dirt. My second shot lined up perfect, but decided to fly too high. Fast forward to fall. How can I miss a deer? Shot under my third target and over my fourth. Let's talk frustration... I wanted to give up, but tradgang talked me out of it. Then it finally happened- my first trad connection- and how sweet a relief it was!!

Stay with it Tim. Your time will come. Mother nature is just prepping you for the greatest feeling in hunting with a stick and string buddy.

[Joeabowhunter]

Tim,
You've already gotten some great replies so I'll only add what I noted from your post.  You are clearly a good hunter and able to put yourself in range of deer AND able to get to full draw and loose the arrow.  That alone is a big positive.  Rushing the shot, pressure and being uncertain of your ability are beating you up.  Starting with your shooting.  Practice and find your most accurate setup.  Once you find it, stick with that setup and your confidence will increase.  Practice shooting with your broadheads.  Know your effective range and stick to it.  Make sure your hunting arrow shoots the same as your target arrow.  Changing broadheads can affect arrow flight.  When you feel confident again get out there and enjoy the hunt.  Pick a spot and good luck.